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Saturday, 22 February 2014

Yoga poses for digestion

It's easy to overindulge, and feel bloated and puffy after a big meal. The main cause? Not-so-savory reasons like gas and acid reflux. Instead of popping a Tums and flopping back on the couch, think about trying a natural cure for stomach troubles.

"Fifteen minutes of yoga will help ease your pain," says Zayna Gold, creator of Healing Through Movement and a Boston-based yoga instructor. As a long-time sufferer of Crohn's disease, she's created this yoga sequence to beat bloat, flatten your middle, and ease your stomach pains.

Gold recommends starting from a reclining position. "This gives you a
chance to take a deep breath and feel energized," she says. Then, she
progresses from seated to standing positions. Some, like the bridge
pose, are stretch moves that stimulate your abdominal organs. Next are
twist poses that massage and tone your abdomen—great therapy for gas,
bloating, and constipation.
The remaining poses work out your back, neck and spine. "You will feel
less stress when your nervous system is relaxed. The health benefits
will spread to the rest of your body and ease your digestion," says
Gold.

You'll want to do this simple stretch—also known as the wind-relieving pose—to gain relief from bloating and gas pains.

How to do it: Lie down, relax and inhale, placing your
hands on your knees. Exhale, and hug your knees to your chest. Rock your
knees from side to side to maximize the stretch. Stay for five to ten
breaths, and release your knees. Repeat this move a few more times.

Modification: Bring up your knees as far as it is
comfortable. To vary the stretch, you can do one side at a time. Leaving
your left leg extended, bring up your right knee and hold it for five
or more breaths. Then, switch to the other side.

How to do it: Lie down, hug your knees and inhale. As you exhale,
drop your knees to the left, using your left hand to push them down
gently. Then, turn your head and stretch your arm out to the right. Stay
for five to ten breaths. Inhale, and return your hands and knees to
center. Repeat on the other side.

This mild inversion helps your blood flow, making you feel more energized.

How to do it: Lie on the floor and bend your knees. Keep
your arms beside your body and your feet flat on the floor. Move your
hips up to give your chest a good stretch. To better aid your digestion,
try this variation. "Press one hip up and hold the pose. Take five
breaths, then switch to the other side," says Gold.

Modification: Keep your hands under you as you arch your
back and open your chest. You can also clasp your hands and interlace
your fingers under your back.

Since you're doing this twist pose from a seated position, you have more control over your stretch.

How to do it: Sit with your legs extended. Bend your
right knee and place your heel close to your body. Reach your right arm
behind you and place your palm on the floor. Your left elbow goes on the
outside of the right knee to help you twist. Stay for five or more
breaths, deepening the stretch every time you exhale. Then release the
twist and repeat on the other side.

This simple stretch helps you relax, and relieve some of the stress that's affecting your digestion.

How to do it: Sit on the floor with your legs in front of
you. Keeping your back straight, slowly hinge forward at the hips and
lower your torso. Stay there for five to ten deep breaths.

Modification: Lower yourself as far as you can, but keep it comfortable and feel the stretch.

Use this move when you've eaten too much. It will stretch out your belly and ease stomach cramps.

How to do it: Sit down on your heels and lean back,
placing your palms about eight inches behind you, with your fingertips
pointing away from you. Press your hands into the ground, lift your
chest and arch your back. You should feel your hips pushing into your
heels. Increase the stretch by lowering your head behind you. Feel the
stretch in your throat and chest. Hold for five breaths, and then sit
up.

Modification: You can do this pose while sitting in a chair. Lift your chest, arch your back and feel the stretch.

Transition between these two poses to warm up your spine and relieve the tension in your back and neck.

How to do it: Get on your hands and knees on the floor.
Inhale, making sure your back is flat and your abs engaged. Exhale, drop
your head and round up your spine for cat pose. On an inhale, arch your
back, lifting your head and butt for cow pose. Switch back and forth
between the two poses, connecting your inhale with cow pose and exhale
with cat pose. Repeat several times.

Also known as the resting pose, this is a basic move you can use for a
relaxing stretch. Stay in this position for five breaths or more.

How to do it: Sit on your knees and feet with your legs
spaced wide apart. Lean forward, stretching your arms in front of you.
Then, keeping your back straight, place your forehead on the floor.

Modification: To make it easier to hold the pose, rest your head on a block or a pillow.

Do this all-over stretch to energize your mind and body.

How to do it: Stand with your feet hip-width apart.
Keeping your back straight, hinge forward and press your palms to the
ground. Hold the pose for five to ten breaths. Alternate with child's
pose.

Modification: Place your feet further back, and bend your knees to make it easier to keep your back straight.

Hold this pose to strengthen your spine and relieve tension in your neck and back.

How to do it: Stand with your legs apart, and bend forward from the waist. Keeping your back straight, place your hands on the floor.

Modification: Can't reach the floor? Place your hands on a yoga block or your furniture to help you hold the pose.

Tone your belly, and get a good stretch and twist with this pose.

How to do it: Stand and take a big step back with your
right foot, turning it towards the side of the mat. Spread out your
arms. Keep your spine long as you hinge forward at the hip. Float your
left hand down to the floor. Raise your right arm, keeping your arms
spread out. Look up to your right hand. To exit the pose, look down to
your left foot before you straighten up. Repeat on the other side.

This pose opens up your chest, and helps strengthen and tone your legs.

How to do it: Stand with your feet together. Bend your
knees like you're sitting in a chair. At the same time, raise your arms
up beside your ears. To exit the pose, straighten your arms on an
exhale. Then, rise to a standing position, and bring your arms down to
your sides. "For more dynamic action, you can move out of the pose and
into a standing position on alternating breaths," says Gold.

Modification: Leaning against a wall will help you hold
the pose. If you're stiff, you can separate your feet so that they're
hip-width apart.

As you end the exercise, take a moment to breathe deeply for up to five
minutes. "This is the best way to wind up your yoga practice for a final
healing to the digestive system," says Gold.

How to do it: Exhale deeply through your nose. Then,
inhale slowly through both nostrils. Repeat five to ten times, each time
focusing intently on your breath.

Burn more calories, strengthen your core, and speed up your metabolism with this slimming series of yoga poses.